A New Frontier
by Okori Yo
Summary: This will be a series of Shouenen Ai and Shoujo Ai stories. Rated for content. R&R please!
1. Something more than friendship

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Pokémon, but I claim rights to the two characters in this stoey. If you want to use them, please get my permission first.

Anyway, this is my first shoujo-ai fanfic ever, so please excuse me if I'm a bit sketchy on details near the end of the story. Read, enjoy, and send in comments!

The dim light of the twinkling stars shone down upon the narrow dirt path. Silent and still except for a teenage girl who trudged along it. Head bowed, the Trainer looked tired and slightly sad. Mika had been walking for the past two days trying to find a rare Pokémon to add to her collection. So far, the girl had found nothing but common Pokémon and snobby trainers. Sighing, she wandered over to a tree and slumped at its base.

The only Pokémon Mika owned was a Rapidash, given to her as a Ponyta by her older brother. He was away fighting Gym Leaders and other trainers determined to one day be in the Elite Four. Mika's only goal in life was to collect and care for rare Pokémon, but in order to do that, she would have to catch some first.

Yawning, the teen decided that it was time to catch some sleep, Mika dug into her backpack and pulled out a small pillow and a warm blanket. Stretching out on the ground, she quickly fell asleep.

- - -

"Meeoowwth?"

Mika opened her eyes to find a Meowth staring her in the face. Blinking, the cat Pokémon cocked it's head and mewed again.

"Meowth! Get off her!" an irritated female voice cried, as the Pokémon turned and glanced off to the right. Following the voice, Mika saw another Trainer hurry up and scoop the Meowth off of her stomach. The girl was about the same age as Mika, with long black hair and bright blue eyes.

"I'm so sorry! Meowth usually doesn't do this…are you ok?" the female asked, a worried look on her face.

"It's alright, I'm fine." Mika replied, standing up and brushing the dirt off her clothes. Stretching, she smiled at the Meowth and its Trainer.

"That's good. I'm Sam, and you've already met Meowth." Sam said with a slight chuckle.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Mika." Bending down, the Trainer packed up her gear and slung the backpack over her shoulders.

- - -

Later that day, Mika and Sam walked down the road that led to the next town.

"You have never been to Saffron City? I SO have to take you some time!"

"Really? That would be great!"

Since that morning, Mika had been feeling happier and more light-hearted than ever. She had also felt closer to Sam; almost to the point where Mika started to wonder if she was ill. As the other girl walked beside her, Mika wondered why she felt so strange. Was it because she had made a new friend? Or was it something…else?

Shaking of the thought, the female turned to Sam and asked, "So, where is the next stop?"

"Uh…" pulling out a small map, the other Trainer squinted and replied, "Well, according to this worthless thing, it's still two more days away…over _that_ mountain range." Sam pointed to the jagged line of mountains that barred their path a few kilometers ahead.

"Great…isn't there a rest stop though?"

"Yep, and we should reach it by tonight if we hurry."

"Well, let's go then!" Laughing, Mika raced ahead of the other girl and on down the road, Sam chasing in pursuit.

- - -

"Why did you became a Trainer?" Sam asked as the duo sat in the main room of the rest house. They had finally reached the place just after sundown, both exhausted and in need of a long break. The owner had been gracious enough to allow them to stay for as long as they wanted, free of charge.

"I wanted to collect rare Pokémon, but it's not going so well…I haven't found any…" Mika replied, gazing out the window at the cloud-covered sky.

"Well, it takes a long time to find a rare Pokémon, if they weren't rare, everyone would have them, right?" Sam said, patting her new friend on the shoulder. Ever since finding her Meowth sitting on Mika, the girl had felt like there was something missing from their friendship. The thing was, she had a feeling she knew what that _thing _was. Sam had never been into guys or girls, but there was something about Mika that made her feel…special…wanted…_loved. _

Meanwhile, Mika had gone pink at Sam's touch. After thinking long and hard about her feelings for the other girl, she had realized that Sam was the person she wanted most in her life. Deciding that now was the time to let her friend know her true feelings, Mika said softly, "Yes, I suppose you're right. Special Pokémon are hard to find. Special people are even rarer." Turning, Mika gazed into Sam's eyes and slowly leaned forward. Watching the realization dawn in the other girl's eyes, Mika smiled as Sam also moved forward and slipped her hands around Mika's shoulders. Kissing each other softly, the pair moved closer together, almost hugging each other.

Pulling away slightly, Sam murmured, "I'll always be by your side, Mika. Together well find every rare Pokémon out there and capture it."

"Mmmm…lets talk more in the morning. Right now, we have more important things to do…"


	2. Mysterious Stranger

**Disclaimer: **Once again, I don't own Pokémon. I do claim rights to all my characters that are in this and future stories.

Second fanfic, this one shounen-ai. I think I did a better job on this than my first story...thena gain, that's my personal opinion. Enjoy!

"NO!"

The sharp cry rang through the forest, making a flock of Hoothoot fly off in fright. Stubby wings flapping hard, the owl Pokémon flew away into the dim light of late evening. It was even darker under the forest canopy, where two figures wrestled, both male.

"No! Get away from me!" the younger of the pair cried again, struggling against his captor. The teen had pale yellow hair and green eyes, and was typical Trainer gear: a black t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers. His backpack had been lost in the struggle, but Jason didn't care about that at the moment. The other male merely grunted and tightened his grip. Nearly twice the weight and height of the teenager, the man had an advantage against his younger counterpart. Sighing as the boy still fought to get free, he suddenly released his tight hold, making the other male go reeling forward into the bushes that surrounded the clearing.

Standing up, the man went after his subject, intend on re-capturing him. Standing over the other male, he murmured softly, "Now, now Jason, that's no way to treat a friend."

"FRIEND! You tried to assault me!" Jason yelled, backpedaling away from strange man. He had been walking through the woods, trying to get to the next open space before nightfall, when he had been grabbed from behind and dragging into the clearing they had just left. After being forced to his knees, Jason's captor had started to stroke and rub him. Shivering slightly, the teen tried to forget _where _the man had explored.

"Me? Assault you? Never! I was just expressing my love of your body." Taking a step closer, the man smiled reassuringly down at Jason, not noticing that his 'friend' was backed against a tree, trying to get as far away as he could. Cat-like golden eyes narrowed as Jason made no reply.

"Well, since you appear to be tongue-tied with affection, let's just move to the next stage shall we?"

"N-next stage?" Jason asked weakly, praying for _someone_ to wander by and save him from this nightmare. Even in the faint light, Jason wished he couldn't see what the other man looked like. With waist-length red hair and gold eyes, the male looked quite feminine. Plus the fact that he was wearing a tight black body suit and heeled boots, Jason wondered if there was something seriously wrong with the man.

"Mmm-hmmm." Chuckling, the male knelt down in front of Jason and placed both hands on the tree that the teen was crouched against. Leaning forward, the man then lightly licked the side of the teenager's neck a few times before kissing it gently. Closing his eyes Jason stiffened as one of the stranger's hands landed on his shoulder and moved slowly downward.

"Good boy…now just do as I tell you, and we'll both come away feeling much better…" the male muttered softly, pulling Jason down onto the bed of pine needles scattered on the ground.

"No…please don't do it…" Jason pleaded, trying half-heartedly to move away. He was trapped, and there was not a thing the boy could do about it. The Trainer had no idea why he was picked, or even how his assailant even knew his name.

- - -

Jason awoke with a gasp, eyes flying open. Sitting up, the male rubbed the sleep from his eyes and wondered if it was all a bad dream. Shifting slightly, he winced and sighed. Much as he would like to forget it, last night had been real. Shaking his head to clear the unwanted thoughts from his mind, the teen got up and looked around. Well, he was still in the same spot…the man must have left him after the 'business' had been done.

Realizing that his jeans were still open, the boy hurriedly did them up, face red in embarrassment. In a nearby tree, a Spearow squawked at him angrily, upset at having it's morning disrupted. Chuckling, Jason located his kitbag and continued onwards, determined not to let that night bother him. It was just some sick freak looking for some fun, he thought to himself, nothing to worry about. Heck, I'll probably never see him again.

High up in a tree, a man with long red hair and golden eyes watched the younger male pass by with a slight smile.

- - -

"Go away! Quit following me!" Jason cried in anger, green eyes glaring at the male in front of him. It had been two months since 'the incident', and Jason had been haunted by that very person that had assaulted him on that night. The mystery man had been popping up wherever Jason went, always demanding that they spend the night together. Of course, the Trainer had always refused, and the man had forced Jason to sleep with him. Sometimes he had let the younger male just lay beside him, but mostly the man had forced himself onto the Trainer. Over time, Jason had come to accept this, and secretly…he had started to enjoy those midnight meetings.

"Sorry…I just can't do that, Jason. Now until I know something. Then, and only then, will I let you live in peace."

"…Oh…" Jason muttered, all anger gone. He had never expected this man to be so open with him. Maybe things would change…After all, the man had acted kinder over the past couple of days then he usually did.

"You like our little meetings, don't you?" the male murmured softly, taking a few steps towards were Jason sat on the bed. Jason was staying at a PokéCentre in a small town near Goldenrod City. Somehow, the man had managed to get into Jason's room, even with the door locked.

"WHAT!" Jason cried, gazing at the older man. Had he guessed that Jason was liking those encounters? Or was he just shooting in the dark?

"No, I don't like them! I hate them AND you!"

"Liar."

"Never!"

"Don't try to fool me, boy, I know when someone is enjoying my games." Chuckling at the shocked expression on the teen's face, he continued. "After all, I have had much more experience than you in these matters." Coming right up to Jason, the man lifted the boy's head so that their eyes met.

"Such a pretty face…now admit that I'm right, or I'll make your body say it for you."

"N-never…you're wrong…" Jason stammered, trying hard to control his conflicting emotions. Over the past number of weeks, he had been feeling increasingly closer to this strange person. Hands tightened their grip on the quilt as the older man leaned down and kissed Jason on the lips. Gently at first, then increasingly harder, the older males hands slipping around to pull the younger one closer. Eyes closed, Jason struggled against what his heart was telling him to do and what his brain was screaming.

Giving in, Jason wrapped his arms around the man's shoulders and fell back onto the bed. It was going to be a very enjoyable night, for both of them.


	3. Team Member

Third story! Thanks to those people who read these works, and to anyone who sends in reviews. Enjoy!

"Why? Out of all the people in the world, why me?" a young woman muttered, glaring up at the cloud-covered sky. The female was dressed in a typical Team Rocket uniform: black sweater, black pants, black boots, and black cap. Hell, even her hair was black! Embroidered on both the sweater and the cap was a large red R; the only thing that _wasn't_ black was the white belt at her waist.

"Yo, baka, hurry up! If you don't move it, we'll be late!" called an irritable voice from the next room. Brushing a strand of her long dark blue hair behind her ear, Abby shoved back the curtain that split the room in half and glared at her partner.

Feeling Abby's red eyes digging into her back, Sakin turned around and gave her older partner a sweet smile. "There you are! Do my earrings look alright?" Tossing her head so that the long gold hoops swung around a bit, Sakin turned back to the mirror and touched up her lipstick. Long wavy caramel colored hair reached down to her ankles and sparkling blue eyes make the girl look quite beautiful. The fact that she wore a tight outfit make the Rocket members of the opposite sex almost drool was not lost on Abby.

Sighing and silently cursing whoever assigned her to this brat, Abby stalked towards the door, not caring if Sakin followed or not. As usual, the younger girl immediately started to whine.

"Abby, I'm not done getting ready yet! I still have to make sure that my makeup and jewelry match! Could you pleeeaaase wait just a couple of more minutes?"

"No. You called me because I was apparently taking too much time getting ready." Abby growled, continuing out the door.

"But…but…Oh, wait up then!" the girl replied sourly, quickly making a final adjustment to her clothes and scurrying after her older partner.

- - -

Laying on her bed, Abby sighed once more as she heard Sakin shift in the next room. That day's assignment had gone quite well, with Sakin actually doing something instead of standing around an complaining. Both Team Rocket members had managed to steal very rare Pokémon: Abby had gotten a Growlithe, and Sakin a Dratini. Abby has muttered something along the lines of 'good job' after they had returned to base, but Sakin had made no indication that she had heard the comment.

Hearing her partner shift yet again, Abby decided to see what was up. Peering around the corner of the curtain, the woman's jaw dropped as she saw her partner. Sakin was sitting up in bed, staring out the window at the full moon. It was pretty normal, except for the small fact that she was completely naked.

"…." stunned into silence by her teammate's body, Abby quickly replaced the curtain and fell back against her pillow. What…was that? At seeing Sakin, Abby had felt a rush of very strange and eerie feelings, ones that a woman should get only from looking at a man in the same position as Sakin had been.

Normally, Abby hated Sakin, but something had changed when they had been on their mission together. Sakin seemed to take and interest in what her older partner was doing, not just charging blindly in and doing things her way. And why did she feel so strange?

"Um…Abby, are you still awake?" the softly spoken question pulled the woman back into reality. Glancing up, she was taken by surprise to see Sakin standing in front of her, still with nothing on. Suddenly realizing that she had only a bra and a pair of panties on, Abby flushed and dropped her gaze to stare at the floor.

"So you _are _up…I know I haven't been the best partner, and I know you don't like me, but I have something important to tell you." Sakin took another step forward and knelt down beside Abby's bed.

"Abby…I like you…a lot. In fact, I would be willing to say that I am in love with you. Now, you probably don't feel the same way, but just let me spend one night by your side. If you don't want to see me ever again, that would be fine with me."

While the younger female had been talking, Abby had been trying to sort out her own feelings. She had never really been into guys, or had an opportunity to see if she liked members of her own gender. Although it was true that she didn't like the whiney and sassy Sakin, _this_ side of her was much different. Sighing, the Team Rocket member decided to let her true feelings show.

"Sakin, I have no idea how I feel about other females, but I would be willing to see if I like them." Red eyes met blue ones; Sakin smiled as her partner let her slip into bed. Pulling the female closer to her, Abby relaxed and let her instincts take over.

The full moon shone down onto the silent Team Rocket base and into a seemingly empty room. But behind the curtain that split the room in half came soft moans and whispers of love. No one else knew why Sakin had become so nice or why Abby was spending so much time with her. Rumors flew, but neither girl said anything about it.


	4. Fire Power

"Ryuu! You mean you still haven't found a girlfriend yet? You have got to be kidding me!" Sighing, the brown-haired boy leaned back and stared at his older sister. She was calling from his hometown back in Violet City; Ryuu was in a small village near Lilycove City. Chocolate-colored eyes narrowed and he muttered, "So what? I have better things to do then have girl follow me around all the time."

"You are impossible! Oh well, at least you're dedicated to your dream." smiling, the girl looked to one side and waved. "See ya! I hope you have fun traveling!"

"Thanks. Bye." Sighing once more, the sixteen-year-old tugged at the neck of his uniform, wishing that he could tell the truth to his family. Although Ryuu was in Hoenn, he wasn't trying to become the best fire Trainer that ever lived. Oh no, he was stuck in a gang of freaky thieves and gangsters, living a life of crime.

"Yo, Ryuu! Quit yapping and move it!" one of his fellow thieves called, glaring at the young man. "Yeah, I'm coming…" Standing up, the Trainer adjusted the black outfit he wore and pulled his facemask up. The tight suit was all black, and the mask covered the lower part of Ryuu's face. Pulling on a black ball cap, the boy headed out into the main area of the base where the others were waiting.

"Finally! Right mates, here's the plan. Mick, Jay and me will go through the front gate and hold up the guards while Vince, Ray and Lee will go in the back. Ryuu, I want you to set fire to the bushes in another part of town and rib the storage area while everyone's fightn' that fire. Got it?" Ryuu nodded and the band set off, the main group heading in one direction, Ryuu in another.

The dark sky made perfect cover for the teen as he crept up to his assigned building. Peering around, he made sure he was alone before he called out his Pokémon.

"Ok, Blaziken, use Fire Punch on my signal!" Ryuu hissed as the fire Pokémon nodded and turned towards the surrounding bushes. While the bird-like Pokémon was powering up, the fire Trainer moved out of the bushes and up to the side door of the warehouse. Picking the lock with ease, he slipped just inside the door and gave a fain whistle. The flames on Blaziken's wrists leapt into existence as the fire type ran through the bushes, lighting part of it on fire. It then circled back to it's owner and was stored inside it's Pokéball.

Moving farther inside the building, Ryuu clicked on a penlight and shone it around. Seeing the outline of crates, he nodded and went to the nearest one. Hauling the lid off it, he peered inside, pleased to see the rows of Pokéballs; each containing a rare Pokémon.

Shifting so that he was kneeling beside the wooden box, Ryuu took a small text messenger from his pocket. Typing for a moment, he sent the message to the leader of his gang and settled down to wait.

"So you think you can just waltz in here and steal all the Pokémon eh?" came a male voice from the darkness. "Foolish child."

Startled, Ryuu leaned forward to get up, only to realize that he was tightly bound in a invisible web.

"What the…who are you?" the teen cried, glancing a round wildly. The large room was shrouded in utter darkness, the only light being emitted from Ryuu's flashlight. A laugh came from the rafters of the building seconds before a man landed in front of the bound thief, an Ariados beside him. Blinking, Ryuu realized why he couldn't move. Ariados must have used Spider Web to tie him up!

"My name is not important, boy." the man replied, kneeling down at clicking off the flashlight. Squirming, Ryuu tried to break the steel-like thread that covered him from the neck down. Failing, he relaxed and tried to think of a way to escape. Although he was tied up and stuck to the box, he might be able to use his Pokémon…? Stiffening, the teen felt his only Pokéball being taken away.

"Only one? Well, this makes things easier." the other male mused, shifting around in the darkness. Ryuu stiffened again as the other male ran his hands down the boy's back, pausing to do something every couple of seconds. Realizing that he was free from the box but still tied up, the teen tried to roll away.

"Not so fast, kid. You're not going _anywhere_." Ryuu struggled against the man, desperately trying to free himself. "About your little group…I'm afraid that they won't be coming to rescue you. See, they got caught. Lucky that you came here, hmm?" chuckling, the male lifted Ryuu up and walked over to another part of the warehouse. Setting him down on something soft, the man held Ryuu down as he cut some of the bindings away.

"What do you want with me?" the teen asked, starting to feel slightly scared. His only protection was gone, and this was starting to seem all to familiar…

"Nothing important. All I want is for both of us to have a good time."

"A good time…?" Ryuu echoed, wondering what was going to happen next. The men in the band of thieves he had been with had often used him as a toy, forcing Ryuu to spend the night with one (or more) of them. Did this man want the same thing those thieves had?

"Uh-huh." the man replied with a soft chuckle, placing his hands on the teen's shoulders. Realizing that there was now ay he was going to get out of this without cooperating with his kidnapper, so Ryuu relaxed into the soft bedding, deciding to let the man do what he wanted to do.

"Good boy…you made a wise choice in deciding to go along with me. Since you did so, I'll try and be gentle." the stranger whispered in Ryuu's ear; hands slowly moving down the teen's body. Breathing slowly, the male tried to blank out the man's touch and the soft whispers. With the gang, he had been able to do it quite well, but the skill wasn't working tonight.

The teen shifted as his ball cap was taken off, followed closely by his facemask. Next came the tight black shirt; then his belt. Finally, Ryuu's skin-tight back pants and matching slippers were eased off and tossed away. Hearing the man move around, the boy's eyes clamped shut as a small lamp was suddenly turned on.

"There…now I can see what you look like, kid." Slowly opening his eyes, Ryuu gazed into the face of his captor. The other male was about 25ish, with fern-green hair in a buzz cut. A black patch covered his right eye, and his remaining one was a deep blue colour. Multiple scars ran across his chest and arms, and a ruby ring sparkled from his left hand. Like Ryuu, the man only had his boxers on.

"Now…where was I? Oh yes, I remember." Smiling softly, the male leaned down and embraced Ryuu, pulling the teen closer to him.

- - -

"Hey, kid. Wake up." Pulled from his dreams by the soft voice, Ryuu lay still am moment longer, thinking about the night before. It had been…bliss. Unlike other encounters with the gang members, this man had been gentle; almost as if he knew Ryuu had been hurt in the past. Finally opening his eyes, the male sat up and looked around. The pair had spent the night behind a row of crates, nestled on a soft blanket and a few pillows.

"Heh, over here." Turning in the direction of the voice, Ryuu saw that the man was already dressed and was waiting for him to do the same. Scrambling into his night outfit, the teen joined the other male at the back door. Holding open the door, the man pointing off towards the forest.

"I left your stuff there, kid. The next town is about half a day's walk from here. Good luck on your journey. Hope we meet again." That said, the man shut the door behind Ryuu.

"Uh…" the boy stammered, wondering what had just happened. Shrugging, he picked up his stuff and heading in the direction the man had indicated. Ryuu was determined to get his life back on track, and become the greatest Fire Pokémon Trainer in the world.


	5. Waterfall

"Welcome to the 23rd Annual Phenac City Water Festival! We hope you have a great time here and enjoy everything this beautiful oasis has to offer!" a voice blared from the speakers, as children raced around excitedly and adults strolled after them, enjoying the sunny day. Phenac City, often known as the City of Water, was in a region known as Orre. Most of Orre was a large barren desert, but Phenac was one of the few placed where there was lots and lots of water.

Waterfalls cast a fine mist into the air as a crowd gathered around a small stage in a quieter part of the festival grounds. Beside the platform was a teenage girl of about 17, her long sea-green hair tied in a complicated braid. Clad in a two-piece blue swimsuit and wearing sandals, the girl stood out from the group of other Water-Pokemon Trainers that stood around her. Crowded around the teen's feet were a Squirtle and a Marill, both ignoring the whispering group of people.

"Hey look, it's Issui! Doesn't she look great?"

"Wow, I wish she was _my_ girlfriend…I'd be the most popular boy in town…"

"Aw, look at the cute water Pokemon!"

Calm silver eyes gazed up a the blue sky overhead, as Issui waited patiently for the show to begin. She was a water art performer; that is she used a combination of water and Pokemon in her performances. Hearing the announcer cough and start to speak, Issui moved with the other performers up onto the stage.

Cries, applause and whistles from the crowd drowned out the rest of the announcer's speech; he merely smiled and stepped aside to let the show start. Glancing down at her Pokemon, the girl smiled and nodded to let them know she was ready. The pair grinned back and sent twin jets of water high into the air. All the other Pokemon followed suit; the other performers moved gracefully around the stage, using the falling water as a backdrop. Issui moved with them, sometimes as part of the group, other times performing with her own Pokemon.

The show went on for about 15 minutes, the audience loving every second of it. After it was over, Issui mingled with the crowd, letting her Pokemon take in all the sights and sounds of the famous Water Festival.

- - -

A half-moon cast pale light down on Phenac City. The festivities were still going on in many parts of the town, and more would start again when it got light. But for now, most of the city was asleep, dreams of water flowing through their minds. Sitting in the shadow of a waterfall, watching the liquid flow gently over the stone was Issui. Still dressed in the swimsuit from the performance, the teen leaned back against the cool wall and sighed. Her parents had been pestering her to get a boyfriend for some time now; to 'Follow your older sister's example and have a family!" was how they put it. The problem was, Issui didn't want that. She wanted to become famous across Orre as a performer, not have kids. Unfortunately, her parents wouldn't accept that. Sighing again, the girl reached up and let her braid come undone, feeling the night breeze tug at the blue-green strands.

"I was…most impressed with your performance earlier today. Your body is very desirable." The teen jumped in surprise as a female voice whispered from the shadows next to her. Turning her head, Issui strained to see the person who had spoken those strange comments. As her eyes adjusted to the moonlight, the girl made out a female with light-coloured hair, also dressed in a swimsuit.

"Uh…Who are you?" the water performer asked, shifting slightly to move farther away from the mysterious girl. There was something not right about her; almost as if the other teen had been waiting to catch Issui alone. But why?

"My name is Aiyoku. I already know who you are." Noticing how Issui was slowly edging away from her, Aiyoku chuckled. "Don't worry, I'm not going to do a thing unless you want me to, Issui. From the look on your face, I'll just have to be content with my dreams."

Issui's jaw dropped as she realized what Aiyoku was hinting at. "I…err…um…you see…I'm n-not interested in…" the teen sputtered, her face a faint pink colour in the dim light. Swallowing, Issui decided to shut up, lest she say something she didn't mean. Head turned away from the shadows where Aiyoku sat, the girl attempted to calm down, ignoring her pounding heart. Maybe it was time to get a boyfriend, if only to convince herself that she wasn't the type of person Aiyoku was.

Hearing the other girl move, Issui stiffened as Aiyoku walked right past her. Glancing up in confusion, she heard the teen say, "If you change your mind, I'll be around the fountain near the front entrance for the next couple of days. Have a good evening." With a final wave, the other female turned a corner and disappeared.

Gazing after her, Issui shook her head and got up. It had been a long day; she might as well get some rest and forget about what had just happened. Stretching, the teen headed home.


	6. Friends Forever

Asahi laughed as Hyourin told a joke about a meeting between a Gengar and a Trainer. The Breeder always enjoyed his best friend's jokes, especially if it was a new one he hadn't heard before. Asahi had met Hyourin when they both got their starting Pokémon from Professor Birch. The pair had been inseparable ever since.

Overhead, Asahi's Beautifly flew in the warm summer breeze, enjoying it's short freedom. Hyourin was heading towards the next Gym, which was in Fortree City. Asahi was searching for more Pokémon to add to his growing collection, and also supported his friend in his dream of battling the Elite Four.

"So, what do think of my team? Is it ready for the next Gym?" Hyourin asked worriedly, coffee-coloured eyes gazing at his companion. With short black hair and tan skin, the Trainer often worried about how good he was compared to his younger brother. Asahi, on the other hand, had pale skin and light blue hair, matched by deep blue eyes. Having no other siblings, he was free to do as he pleased, as long as he didn't break the law.

"Don't worry so much. You're team is well prepared for the next battle. Besides, Kumo can't touch you when it comes to battle strategy, Hy-chan. You should know that by now."

Smiling, Hyourin nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I suppose you're right...thanks for the support, buddy."

"That's what I'm here for, pal." Asahi smiled in return, glad that his friend was happy once more. He knew that Hyourin had feelings for him, and Asahi accepted and returned those affections as often as he could. Although other people stared and whispered, the duo didn't care at all. After all, it was their life; they shouldn't be bound by what other people thought of their actions.

Moving closer, Hyourin slung his arm over Asahi's shoulders and pulled him close. Sighing with content, the Breeder leaned against his friend as they continued to walk down the road.

- - -

"Absol! Use Razor Wind on Altaria!" Hyourin called at the Bird Pokémon dove at the Dark-type. Eyes glowing, the Absol leaped into the air an instant before the Altaria slammed into the dirt. Swinging its head around in a circle, the Pokémon pointed the curved horn on its head towards the dazed Altaria.

"Dodge, Altaria!" the Gym Leader called, but the bird was too stunned by the impact to move. Up in the air, a tornado formed at the tip of the horn and shot towards the Altaria.

"ALTARIA!" the opponent shouted in despair as the torrent of wind engulfed her Pokémon. The glow fading from its eyes, the Absol landed on the ground in front of the wall of wind. Slowly the shards of air slowed and died away, leaving a knocked-out Altaria lying on the ground.

"Altaria, return. Good job, pal." the Gym Leader said, holding up the red-and-white Pokéball. Walking over to the smiling Hyourin, she shook his hand and handed him the badge for winning against her.

"Keep up the good work, Hyourin. One day you'll become a excellent Trainer."

"Aw, thanks ma'am. I'll be sure to keep that in mind." Hyourin replied, chuckling. He was ecstatic that he had won another badge, but slightly saddened by the fact that Asahi wasn't there to cheer him on. Due to a family emergency, Asahi had stayed glued to the computer at the local Pokémon Centre and had only wished Hyourin luck when the Trainer had left.

Hurrying back to the place where he had left Asahi, the Trainer poked his head into the room they shared to see Asahi lying on his bed. Fearing the worst, Hyourin rushed forward, but stopped as his friend looked up and saw him there. The boy smiled, and his friend sighed with relief. Hyourin had been friends with Asahi long enough to know that everything was fine.

"Don't worry, everything's fine." Asahi reassured his friend, getting up and walking over to the Trainer. "Hy-chan, how did the match go?"

"It went great! I have a new badge!"

"That's great new, pal. Shall we celebrate?" the blue-haired teen asked in a low voice, embracing the other boy lightly. Hyourin smiled and retuned the hug, murmuring, "The usual, right?"

Spending the night together had become a routine thing the pair did after every Gym battle. At first they had been hesitant, but now both welcomed the opportunity to express their feelings for each other.

"Of course." Asahi replied, snuggling closer to his companion. Now that everything as back to normal, they could plan where to head next and what Pokemon they were going to capture. Pulling back slightly, Hyourin gave the other teen a long, passionate kiss on the lips.


End file.
